Research consistently shows that quality after-school programs provide an important resource for students, parents, and educational staff in a community. These programs can help to increase academic success, combat feelings of alienation, and reduce crime. Currently, Springfield has many after school programs often competing with one another for funding. It is not clear how well Springfield students who need such programs are being served by those that exist. What is clear is that a large number of Wittenberg students already participate in the existing programs either as volunteers or through our community service program.

How will Wittenberg help?

We have been fortunate to secure a federal grant to support our work with after school programs. The federal grant does not call for Wittenberg to begin new after school programs, although it is always possible that someone in the Wittenberg community will start something new. What the grant does call for is for Wittenberg to use its research capacity to improve the services provided in our community. Through this grant the Center proposes four major goals. They are:

1. To examine how current programs are serving the needs of at-risk youth in Clark County,

2. To establish a collaborative of providers of after school programs in the Springfield area in order to serve at-risk youth better,

3. To develop an understanding of effective practices for serving middle and high school at-risk youth, and

4. To share successful practices among the various programs in order to increase their effectiveness.

The Center for Civic & Urban Engagement is compiling a list of promising practices that are currently being implemented by local afterschool programs. Below you will find a few of the practices that have already been submitted.